Power-transmission mechanism.



C. W. TAYLOR. POWER TRANMISSIONMECHANISM APPLICATION FILED NOV, 4, IUI@1,062,984, Patented May 27, 1913.

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corresponding parts throughout the several 1UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.I

OLABENC'E W. TAYLOR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOIR TO AGNES POAGETAYLOR, OF CHICAGD,` ILLINOIS.

POWEBfTBNSMISSION MECHANISM.

Speclcation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1913.

Application led November-1, 1912.. Serial No. 729,208.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE W. TAYLoB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-TransmissionMechanism, of which the. following is a specication.

My invention relates to power transmission mechanism, particularly todevices for prompt and eectlve engagement and release between drivingand driven parts to actuate the driven part in either direction and topermit the driven part to independently disengage and revolve fasterthan the driving part in either direction; and the objects of my imrovement are, first, to afford a drag o r bra e, preferably operable bythe driver and effective against the driven part; second, the provisionof a construction which, when employed as a differential in motorvehicles, will not be operable b the driven part to lock one vehlclewhee a ainst the other; third, to provide a coup ing-unit of few partsand of great strength, adapted to occupy limited space; and, fourth, toproduce a device whereby there will be a two-wheel drive when the speedsof thevehicle wheels With the above and other objects in view, myinvention consists in the novel features.l and in their mode ofoperation, vand in the novel combination and arrangement ofv partshereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of Vthis specification and particularly pointed out inthe claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like referencev characters indicate views,and in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal central section of a rear axle ofa motor vehicle with my invention appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a pers eciftive view of the elastic drag-plate detac ed@ Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of a detachedl clutch-member. Fig.- 4 is a section on line 4--4 ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a modified form of my invention.

One embodiment ofv my present invention consists of a driver and adriven part with a cou ling-unit therebetween composed es- .the space inrear axles now us mon differential.

sentia y of a drag, brake or anchor and a,

clutch member operable by the driver in either directionw The device isadapted to be em loyed in for the common form of differentials inautomobiles and trucks. There are varied uses to which my invention maybe put and I do notl in any way limit its scope of usefulness.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed statement, 6 desigates aclutch-drum having in inwardly extending hub 7 with a square opening 8therethroughv to receive the squared end 9 of the shaft( The fiange orrim 10of the clutch-drum 6 has formed in its inner surface recesses 11with intervening solid portions 12.

Integral with o-r attached to a driver hereinafter more particularlydescribed, are lugs 13 or cams on one side andlugs or cams 14 von theother side, each having points or extremities 15, one of each of whichit will further appear drives or actuates a 'lockingyunit described inthis specification. The

body portion 16 of the lugs affords strength.-

The annular ring portion 17 ofrthe driver carries radial studs 18 whichare suitable for insertion in the openings made for the com- The housing19 has an annular flange 20 with the usual bevel gear wheel 21 rivetedthereto at 22.

A23 denotes a pinion on the `driver shaft not shown.

For the .purpose of setting up power transmissionengagement andfacilitating prompt release between the driving and drivenmembers, Ihave constructed what is termed a coupling-unit comprising a dragplate,`brake or anchor 24 and a clutch-member 34. The drag-plate 24 isfulcrumed intermedi ate its ends. It has a curved or flexed portion'25and its free ends are formed to slidably engage with the ends of theclutchmember for movement of one end at a time of the drag plate withthe clutch-member land to force the other end against the driven member.The amount of drag or retardation thus effected depends upon the natureo-f the two surfaces and upon the pressure upon them. Differentconditions require varying degrees of drag or anchorage.

One coupling-unit is sutiicient for rotation of the driven member ineither direction for light work. In pleasure motor-vehicles twocoupling-units are preferable, and in heavy trucks a larger number ofcoupling-units are desirable. The bent ends 28 and 29 of the plate 24have elongated slots 30 and 31 for travel of the clutch member pins 39and 40. The brake surfaces 32 and 33 of the plate 24 may be providedwith faces yielding greater friction than steel to steel or cast irc-nif preferred. The clutch member 34 is formed with studs or projections35 and 36. Preferably the inner corners 37 of the studs are rounded tofacilitate prompt disengagement when the driven members speed exceedsthat of the driver.

38 designates the apex or fulcrum of the member 34 on which the lever 24is fulcrumed when the coupling-nut is operated.

The pins 39 and 40 of the member 34 travel in the slots 30 and 31, andnormally are. ositioned at the4 lower ends of ,the slots. Pre erablytheplate 24 is made of spring steel and the ends are bent as shown, but thebody portion is flexed (not bent) when the unit is assembled which putsthe plate 24 under tension all the time, greater of course when couplingis effected. On the back'of the clutch-member are formed reversed planes41 and 42 against which the driver operates. v

Itl will be noted the driver increases the application of frictionagainst the driven member until power transmission engagement isestablished between the driven member and the driver through thecouplingunit, when the parts rotate together. It will be'noted also thatin my present embodiment the drag-plate, with its` levera e against thedriven' member, and the clutc member are actuated by the driving member,and the a plication of friction is prompt and powerful.) It will furtherbe'noticed that the drag-plate orv brake which is preferably made ofspring steel, constantly urges the clutch member to normal disengagedposition, and therefore only when the driver forces it into commission1s it in position to interfere with the free rotation of the drivenmember. The extent of surface of the drag-plate against or adjacent tothe driven member gives the coupling-unit stability.

Normally the small amount of friction between the adjacent faces of thedrag-plate and thedriven member is not suliicient to project or move thecoupling-unit against the driver to effect the locking of one vehiclewheel against the other. The drag-plate serves as a lever, which isoperated by the driver, to maintain at least a comparative state of restof the driven member until coupling is effected, when first the partsare placed in power transmission relation. After disengagement of thedriven member for exam le when the outer wheel has described a ongerradius curve and the speeds of the driven member and the driver are`approaching each other the drag-plate serves as a brake to slow down thedriven member to the 4rate of speed of the driver to facilitate thecoupling of the outer vehicle wheel with the source of power.

It will be seen that the coupling of the driven member with the driverwill be more readily effected when their rates of speed aresubstantially alike. When first starting by means of the drag-plate thecoupling is made before speed of the driver is attained. In the presentembodiment the clutch member is pivoted on the driver. The machineelements of the coupling-unit arTevers and inclined planes, the latterbeing oppositely positioned on the back of the clutch-member.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of the outer faces of the studs 35and 36 of the clutch member 39 and of the adjacent engaging surface ofthe driven member or clutch-drum 6. The ridges 43 and the grooves 44between ridges in the driven member are formed to receive the ridges 45and grooves 46 on the studs or engaging faces of the clutch member. Tolessen friction of the driver with the planes 41 and 42 of theclutch-member, I have provided a roller seat 47 and a roller 48. Wheregreat power is employed these anti-friction rollers are preferred. Therecesses or sockets 11 are spaced and the projections or studs 35 and 36are of aA predetermined distance apart to insure registering of theseveral recesses and projections of the different coupling units whenone goes into commission in the positive drive form. This is true alsoof the modification in Fig. 5 in which the ridges and grooves aretransverse to the plane of rotation. Lever means for resistance to therelative motion ofl` the driven member surface and coupling means is animportant feature of my present invention and I wish to be understoodas/claiming it broadly.

While I prefer to employ an elastic dragplate or brake as shown anddescribed in this application, I do not limit my invention to anyspecial construction of drag-plate or grapple.

In operation, let it be assumed the parts in normal position out ofypower transmission engagement and the vehicle wheels at rest. When thedriver is actuated in either direction the pivot 15 willbe moved againstone of the planes, 41 or 42, and the plane forced toward the drivenmember and with it will be drawn inwardly the opposite lend of theelastic drag-plate, the power end of the lever, and instantly the weightor loadend of the lever (the end of the drag-plate left in contact withthe driven member) will exert a drag orf brake against the driven memberequal to the force of the driver less the tension of the elasticdragplate, which will be sufficient to anchor the coupling-unit to thedriven member until coupling is effected when the coupled parts willrotate together. When either vehicle wheel describes a longer radiuscurve, if its tire maintains a rolling contact with the road surface, itwill rotate at an increased speed and instantly the coupling-unit willbe carried ahead and out of and free from` the force of the driver whenthe elastic drag-plate will rock the clutch-member to normal disengagedposition where it will remain until the driver again exerts sufficientforce against one of the inclined planes of the clutch member to put incoupled engagement with the driven member and so on in either direction.When the force of the driver is discontinued, as it is when the drivenmember races ahead when its vehicle wheel is describing a longer radiuscurve, the flexed spring or elastic drag-plate 24 instantly shifts theclutch member 34 to normal disengaged position, in which position itwill remain until force of the driver `again is employed. The parts areformed such dimensions that there is little if any friction between -thedrag-p1ate and the driven member, excepting when force from the driveris applied to the clutch member. The arc of the flexed elasticdrag-plate and the arc of the adjacent driven member are of 'differentradii. On release of the dragplate from the force of the driver itbecomes a perfect are of a circle and the driven member is free torotate in either direction.

It is understood that changes, variations and modifications in thedetails of my present invention within the scope of the claims, may beresorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof, hence I do not limit myself to the exactconstruction and arrangement of the part shown and described, but

Having thus fully described my invention, what I'claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. In a power transmission mechanism, a coupling-unit comprising adrag-plate and a clutch-member both operable by a driving member.

.2. In a power transmission mechanism, a coupling-unit comprising anelastic dragplate and a clutch-member having a plurality of faces forengagement with a driven-member, the drag-plate and the clutch memberbeing formed and mounted for relative movement.

3. A power transmission mechanism comprising, 4in combination with adriving member and a driven member, a fulcrumed drag-plate positioned toexert force against the driven member and a clutch-member having aplurality of engaging studs on one side and reversed-plane-surfaces onthe other side and operable by the driving member.

4. A power transmission mechanism comprising, in combination withindependent shafts'and a clutch-drum fixed to one end of each shaft anda driving member, a dragplate-lever adjacent each clutch-drum and aclutch-member adapted to be actuated by the driving member?" 5. A powertransmission mechanism comprising, in combination with a driving memberand a driven member, lever means for drag effort between said members.

6. A power transmission mechanism comprising, in combination with adriving member and a driven member, a coupling'unit having a rockingclutch-member, and an elastic drag-platehaving a movement relative tothe clutch-member.

7. In a'power transmission mechanism, in combination with a drivingmember and a driven member, an elastic drag-plate formed or fiexed tothe arc of the driven member, and a rocking clutch-member held in normalposition by the elastic dragplate and formed on one side to be operatedby said driving member.

8. A power transmission mechanism comprising, incombination with a.driving mem'- ber carrying a cam and a driven member having an annularseries of recesses and solid portions alternating, a coupling-unitcomprising a drag-plate mounted for lever action against the drivenmember and a rocking clutch-member having a plurality of studs on oneside adapted to enter the recesses and formed on the other side to beactuated by said cam.

9. A power transmission mechanism comprising in combination withindependent shafts and a clutch-drum fixed to one end of each shaft anda driving member, a dragplate formed or fiexed to the arc of each clutchdrum and rocking clutch members held in normal disengaged position bythe respective drag-plates, and formed on one side t0 be operated bythedriving member, the drag-plates and the clutch-members`having relativemovement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE W. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

C. RICHARD BE'rrs, JOHN E. LYNCH.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,062,934, granted May27, 1913,

upon the application of Clarence W. Taylor, of Chicago, Illinois, for animprovement in Power-Transmission Mechanism an error appears in theprinted specifi cation requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 16,for the compound word coupling-nut read coupling-unit; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oice.

signed and sealedihi 24th day QfJune, A. D., 1913.

c. c. BniLINGs,

